The Family of Slade Wilson
by paisleyluv96
Summary: We all know the story of Richard Jonathan Grayson Wayne. But what if Bruce Wayne hadn't been the one to adopt him? What if it was Slade Wilson? This is the story of Richard Jonathan Grayson Wilson. Rated T because I'm paranoid. Read and Review. You guys fuel my imagination.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1-The Circus

"Hey, Dad, Look!" Joey squealed as he ran up to the window. "Can we go? Please?"

I looked at the poster he had taken down.

Haley's Circus featuring the death defying Flying Grayson's.

"Cool." Grant commented. "They don't even use a net."

"Pleeeeaaaaaaaaaaaase…" Joey begged.

"We didn't come to Gotham to go to the circus. We're here to visit Will." I said.

"Aw. Come on, Daddy," Addie mocked, "A little fun never killed anyone."

"Yeah, Dad…please! It'll be so much fun! They got elephants there!" He shouted excitedly. I smirked at his pronunciation of the word 'elephant.'

"I don't know, Joey…There are clowns at the circus." I teased.

"I'm not afraid of clowns!" He protested.

"Slade, stop it." Addie said with a chuckle.

"Joey, Look! It's the Joker!" Grant yelled.

"WHERE?!" He squealed as he ran and hid behind my legs.

"See, he is afraid."

"Am not."

"What time does the show start?" I asked as I kneeled down to my son. He pulled the poster back out.

"Um…8:00. Please, can we go Daddy?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah, Dad!" Grant chimed in.

"Come on, Slade. It'll be something fun for the boys to do before we go home. They've never been to a circus before." Addie said sweetly. I sighed.

"Alright, we better get going. We have 30 minutes to get there."

"YAY!" Joey squealed.

"Cool. Maybe they'll fall." Grant commented.

"That would be awful, Grant." Addie said. He only shrugged.

We arrived at the gates fifteen minutes before the sow started. The tickets cost me $100. Ten for Grant and Joey, forty for Addie and me.

"I should stop hanging out with you guys, you're too expensive." I teased the boys.

"Come on, Dad!" Joey said as he pulled mo to some empty seats about halfway to the top. The show started right on time with a parade of elephants walking around the floor.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls of all ages, welcome the world famous Haley's Circuuuuuuuuuus!" The ring master's voice boomed through the bi colored tent. The crowd went wild.

"Prepare yourself for never before seen performances by man eating lions, daring clowns, magic and the death defying Flying Grayson's!" Once again, the crowd erupted in cheers. Grant and Joey were on their feet watching attentively.

"Before we begin, the circus would like to thank Gotham's own Bruce Wayne for his benevolent donation. Tonight's show is brought to you by the Wayne Foundation, which donates millions of dollars each year to the countries orphanages. Please, make Mr. Wayne welcome tonight."

The crowd cheered for Wayne as he stood and gave a small bow to the crowd.

"Now, without further ado, let the show begin!" More earsplitting cheers rang through the tent. The elephants on the ground began a routine of standing on platforms, climbing, bowing, begging, spinning sitting and other various tricks invented for dogs. It wasn't too boring, but definitely not something I would want to sit through again. The boys, however, loved it. Once the elephants were done, the clowns came out and made a fool of themselves, then the death cage motorists, then the knife throwers, lion and tiger tamers, more foolish clowns, dancers, twirlers, the world's strongest man, the horse show, the flexible woman, the clowns again, the magic act, the wrestlers, the fat lady, and the wolf man followed by more clowns.

Finally, the ringmaster's voice boomed through the tent, the lights went wild.

"Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for, without the use of a safety net, the high flying, death defying, FLYING GRAYSONS!"

The lights settled on three waving figures was up at the top of the tent. The crowd screamed and clapped. Then, two of the gymnasts jumped out to the bars. There was a gasp and cheer as they grabbed onto each other and dangled sixty feet above the ground. The third jumped.

"Oh my god, Slade, That's just a little kid!" Addie screamed. Grant and Joey were going wild as they watched the mid air performance. They flipped and swung quickly and gracefully. They looked so natural. All three were holding onto each other as they swung. The kid was thrown up in the air and performed a quadruple flip. The crowd erupted. His mother caught him and threw him back to the platform. He landed safely and the two dropped down to a tightrope strung across the tent. The crowd sucked in their breath as they waited for them to land safely on the thin line. They soon began the next stage of their performance. It was breathtaking. Everyone was entranced. The Graysons jumped and flipped across the high wire. Everything went wrong when there was a great snap and the rope went slack. The Grayson's were falling….Grant was right. The crowd went deathly silent as they plummeted to the ground.

"MAMA! TATI!" Came a blood chilling scream. I looked up to the little boy. The two bodies hit the ground with a thud.

"NOOOO!" came the scream. The kid descended the ladder. The crowd still hadn't registered what happened until the blood began seeping out from under them.

"Addie, get the boys out of here." I said. The crowd began to panic. The little boy had made it to the floor and was running to hi dead parents. I got out of my seat and ran to the floor.

"Slade! Where are you going?!" Addie called after me.

"Get to the car. I'll meet you there!" I called back.

"Dick!" The ringmaster called to the kid.

He was kneeling in his parents' blood.

"Dick, come away! The Ring master said as he pulled the boy away.

"No! Go away! Mam! Tati, Wake up! Please!" He pleaded.

"Come on, Dick."

"NO!"

"What can I do?" I asked the ringmaster.

"Who are you?"

"I was in the stands…"

"Can you get Dick away from here?"

I nodded.

"Come on, Dick." The Ringmaster said again as he picked the child up.

"No!" he screamed.

"Thank you, sir."

I took Dick and moved to the edge of the ring.

"Let go! TATI!"

"Shhh…" I whispered. Dick struggled in my grasp. He was a strong kid. Granted, he wasn't getting away from me, but he still tried desperately hard. He finally gave into his tears. He collapsed into my chest and sobbed. His tears and the blood on his uniform soaked into my white shirt.

"Shhh… Look at me." I whispered. He turned his tear stained face to me. "What's your name?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.

"Richard, but everyone calls me Dick…" He said in a soft Russian accent through his tears.

"Ok, Dick. It's going to be ok, alright? You're fine." I said as I wiped the tears from his face fruitlessly.

"Mama…Tati…" he sobbed into my shirt.

"Shhh…" I whispered. What more could I say? I sat there for hours holding the sobbing boy while the cops took care of his parents. Dick fisted my bloody shirt and cried his heart out.

I was soon approached by an officer and the ringmaster. I stood with the sobbing boy in my arms.

"I'm Mr. Haley, thank you for taking care of Dick for us."

I shook his hand.

"You're welcome." Was all I could say? Haley took Dick from my arms. He was exhausted and somewhat unresponsive. Haley and the officer turned and walked off. I too, turned. I had to get back to my family. I walked down the block to our car and got in the driver's seat. Joey was asleep. Grant stayed quiet. I looked sadly at Addie.

"Are you guys ok?" I asked. Addie nodded silently.

"That was so cool." Grant whispered.

I let out a deep, exasperated breath and started the car. The ride back to our hotel was completely silent.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, guys. So here's chapter two. let me know what you think!**

**Thanks to sm4567 for all your comments.**

**Y'all keep being awesome!**

Ch. 2

We got back to the hotel we were staying at a few minutes later. Joey was still asleep as we pulled into the parking lot. I walked around to get him out and ran into Grant.

"There's something on your shirt, Dad." He informed me. I glanced down at the blood. "Is it blood?" He asked.

"Yes, Grant. It's blood." I answered.

"Cool." He replied.

"Grant!" Addie scolded. "Not another word. That little boy just saw his parents fall to their deaths. There is nothing cool about it!" She said quietly so as not to wake Joey.

"It's their fault for not using a net…" he trailed.

"That's enough, Grant." I said sternly.

"Yes, sir…"

"Come on, son. You need to get into bed." Addie said as she led Grant up to our room. I lifted Joey out of the car and carefully shut the door with my foot. I made my way upstairs with my sleeping son in my arms. I kicked the door gently. Addie opened it and let me in. She smiled at Joey. I laid him into bed and covered him up. Grant came out of the bathroom dressed in his pajamas. He made his way to the bed, ready to jump in.

"Did you brush your teeth?" I asked him.

"Aw, Dad! Joey didn't have to!" He whined.

"Joey is already asleep. You're not. And, you've already grown in some of your adult teeth, Joey hasn't. Now go brush, or all of your teeth will fall out." I said. Grant crossed his arms with a huff before turning on his heel to follow my order. I turned to Addie who was sitting on t the other bed. I sighed as I began unbuttoning my shirt. She smiled at me as she pulled her own shirt off, leaving her tank top on. Grant came out of the bathroom a few moments later and hugged his mother.

"Good night, Mom." He said. He walked over to me, "Night, Dad." He said.

"Night, Son." I returned the hug and led him over to his bed. He lay down and I pulled the covers over him. "I love you." I said quietly as he turned over.

"Love you too, Dad." He replied, closing his eyes. I stood up to go to the bathroom and brush my own teeth. Adeline came in and joined me. She brushed her hair and changed into some pajamas. I followed suit and joined her in bed a few minutes later. Both boys were already sound asleep.

"Addie, I think we should adopt that kid." I said, keeping my voice low.

"What? The little boy from the circus?" she asked uncertainly.

"Yes."

"Slade. Come on. Don't be ridiculous."

"Think about it: He just watched his parents fall to their deaths, Adeline! He doesn't have anywhere to go."

"Slade, the circus will probably adopt him."

"Put yourself in his shoes. If your parents just fell to their deaths right in front of you, would you ever want to do that again? Would you want to stay in the circus with the memories? Good memories that will only bring pain?" I asked seriously.

She was silent for a moment.

"No, I wouldn't." She finally answered. "But, Slade, who's to say he would want to give up everything he knows? He was raised there…He'd only be taken away form everyone he knows and loves." She pointed out.

"Addie, he needs someone other than a bunch of circus freaks." I said bluntly.

She sighed deeply. She didn't respond for so long, I thought she had fallen asleep.

"Why else do you want to do this? What ulterior motive do you have?" she asked skeptically.

"You know why. You know what I do. If Grant doesn't want my empire, then I can train Dick. Addie, he's strong and fearless. Once he overcomes the sadness of his parents' death, he'll be [perfect! He's light on his feet." I said as I reflected on the performance I had seen that night.

Once again, she was quiet as she took in my words.

Finally, she responded, "Slade, I'm all for giving the kid a good home. But…it's not right to put the weight of your empire on his shoulders if Grant doesn't want it. It should be his choice. Not yours." She said.

I though on that a moment…yes. It should be his choice. And it would be. I'd pound it in his head to desire revenge. When he gets older, he'll want to avenge the death of his parents. Yes, he will choose to be my apprentice. And he will be. If Grant so chooses, I'll train them both. And they can claim my criminal empire together. They would be unstoppable.

"It will be." I said.

"Ok. But, Slade? Our house isn't big enough. Grant and Joey would not take too kindly to sharing a room. And Dick can't just sleep on the couch!" she said. It was a good point… But I was already a millionaire.

"Then we'll sell and upsize…or just add on. Money isn't an issue." I said offhandedly.

"I'm not worried about the money; I know we have the money. And I'll be with you ever step of the way on this, Slade." She said. "We'll give the kid a good home."

"Thank you for understanding." I said as I kissed her.

"What can I say? There is just no resisting you."

"We'll make a good family for him."

"That we will." She answered as she curled up and rested her head in the nape of my neck and drifted off to sleep.

Grant and Dick. My apprentices. They'll fight by my side, and together, we will strike fear into the hearts of my enemies. And when I can no longer control it, they will take over, and make my empire great! The legacy of Deathstroke the Terminator will live on in the hearts and minds of my son and the last Flying Grayson. When they're older, they will choose the life they want to live; they will begin their training and grow to love it. Right now, however, they are much too young. When the time comes, they will truly be: unstoppable.

**Alright, that's chapter 2! Y'all please R&R! Your reviews fuel me!**

**Have a good day!**

**~paisleyluv96**


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

The next morning, I rose early to go to the police station. I left Addie a note saying I'd be back soon. Normally, I wouldn't walk into a police station like a civilian, seeing as how I'm one of America's most wanted criminals, but no one knew who lay behind the mask. I asked the office at the front desk about Dick Grayson.

"Are you family?" she asked.

"No. I was at the circus last night. I'm the man who took care of him when you were dealing with his parents." I replied.

"He's very traumatized, sire. He didn't sleep a wing last night. I can't allow you to see him if you are not family." She said.

"Ma'am," I began, "What is going to happen to him?"

"He will probably be sent to the boy's home…be fostered and put up for adoption if the circus doesn't take him in." she answered.

I wrote down my name and number and handed it to her.

"If that happens, contact me immediately. I'm willing to adopt him and give him a good home." I said as I handed her the slip of paper.

She looked at me curiously. "I'll tell the commissioner. Wait here." She ordered.

She walked out of the room and came back a few moments later with a tall red headed man. The commissioner, I assumed.

"You want to adopt Mr. Grayson?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Does Mr. Grayson know you?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, I was with him last night, keeping him away from the scene while you did your job."

He considered me a moment.

"Alright. Montoyez. Give Mr. Haley a call and ask permission for this mat to see the kid." The commissioner ordered.

"Yes, sir." She responded. Montoyez picked up the phone a dialed the number.

"Yes, Mr. Haley? This is Officer Rene Montoyez with the GCPD. I'm calling concerning a visitor for Mr. Grayson." There was a moment of silence.

"Yes, sir. The man who stayed with him last night is here. He wants to visit. He says he'd like to adopt Richard if the circus doesn't take him back. Yes, sir…yes, sir…Yes, sir, that'll be fine. Ok, sir, we'll see you then. Thank you. Bye." She hung up the phone.

"Mr. Haley is on his way over here now. He's also coming to visit Mr. Grayson."

"Why do you want to adopt the kid?" the commissioner asked me.

"Because sir, the kid needs a home. And not in the circus with all the memories. I have two sons of my own, 6 and 4. He'll be able to cope with the recent events better in a new home than back at the circus where the memories will only bring pain. My wife and I agreed on it last night. If possible, we would like to adopt Dick as our own son." I said convincingly.

The commissioner and the officer looked at each other approvingly.

"We'll see what happens when Mr. Haley gets here." He said, "What's your name, sir?"

"Slade Wilson." I replied honestly.

The officer typed my name into the computer. The commissioner looked over her shoulder at my background information. The door opened behind me and Mr. Haley walked in.

"Good morning, commissioner." He said cheerily. He acted as if nothing had happened the night before.

Haley walked up to me and shook my hand.

"So, you want to adopt Dick, eh?"

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you so much for coming forward." He said, "The circus was going to put him up for adoption. We all agreed last night when ya'll brought him here. He can't stay at the circus any longer. There is no one to train him in has art and the circus will not be bringing in any more high wire acts after what happened last night." He informed us. "Such a shame…he will be missed. I hate to see him go, he kept the place interesting." He added solemnly, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"Mr. Wilson here has already agreed to adopt Richard." The commissioner said. "Will you consent?"

Haley looked at me with the ultimate sadness in his eyes. "Yes. You are a total stranger to me, but the way you stepped up for Dick last night, you will make an excellent replacement for his father. Thank you so much, Mr. Wilson." I nodded at the thanks.

"Commissioner, I'd like to go see him with Mr. Wilson." Haley said.

"Of course. Right this way, gentlemen." He said. "Rene, get the paper ready and send them to the court house as a top priority issue." The commissioner called.

"Yes, sir." She replied as we headed off deeper into the police station to see Dick. The commissioner opened the door to a room.

"Take your time." He said as he walked back down the hall to leave us in privacy.

Dick was curled up on the bed. He had changed into a blue t shirt and jeans. He was staring blankly at the wall. He jumped up and hugged Haley when we walked in. His eyes widened when he was me. When he broke free from Haley, he walked over and hugged me too. I leaned down and returned the hug just as I do with my own kids. Dick backed up and looked at us hopefully.

"How ya doin' Dick?" Haley asked. Dick didn't respond. "Dick, listen, we-the circus, isn't gonna do any more trapeze acts." Haley said.

"What?! Why not?!" Dick yelled in his meek Russian accent.

"We just can't do it anymore. You can't do it alone. Do you remember Mr. Wilson here?"

Dick nodded. "Yeah," he sniffled. "I met him last night. He's nice."

"Would you like to go stay with him?" Dick looked at me, the back at Mr. Haley in alarm. He shook his head wildly.

"I wanna go home." He said.

"Aw, Dick…Mr. Wilson, could you give us a moment?"

"Sure." I answered as I stepped out of the room. I took a seat and rested my head in my hands. What if the kid didn't-refused, to go with me? Would Haley let him have his way or convince him that I would be a good replacement father? I wasn't looking to replace Mr. Grayson. And I don't want to adopt dick for the sole purpose of running my empire…Where he knew it or not, Dick and I bonded that night. AS I sat there and held the crying boy, I began to feel as though not only did he need me, I need him. No, I didn't want to replace his father, but I wanted to be there and fill in the best I could. I f I could adopt him, he would be mine and Adeline's son, and he would be a brother to Grant and Joey. He will be a part of our family. And over time, I hoped he could accept us as his own family as well.

Mr. Haley emerged from the room.

"He's ready to see you now."

"Thank you, sir." I said as I stood.

"I'll wait out here." He said.

I nodded and headed into the room again. Dick was sitting on the bed. Fresh tears streamed down his face. I sat down on the bed beside him.

"He, Dick. How are you doing?"

He sniffled. "Ok… are you gonna adopt me?"

Right to the point, huh? Ok.

"Yes, I would like to. Would you like me to?" I asked hopefully. He paused.

"I miss my Mama and Tati."

"I know you do. And I don't ever want you to forget them." I said.

"If you adopt me, will I be your son?"

"Yes. But you don't have to call me dad. You can call me Slade." He made a weird noise I took for a laugh.

"That's a funny name."

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

I chuckled. "Ok, then, would you like to come home with me this week? You'll get to meet my wife and kids."

Dick paused. He didn't say anything for a while. He looked up at me with his deep blue eyes that seemed to bore into my soul. He stared at me for a long time. A tear ran down his face. I put my arm around him and pulled him in close, comforting him as best I could.

"Shhh. Hey, Dick, its ok." I whispered. Dick hugged me back. He wrapped his strong little arms around me as best he could and squeezed remarkably tight for a seven-year-old before looking back up at me.

"Yeah." He said.

"Yeah? You want to come and live with me?"

"Yeah." He said again.

"Ok. We'll get everything in order. You'll be out of here by this afternoon." I said. He nodded. I gently laid him down on the bed and brushed his ebony hair off his forehead. I sat there with him as he softly cried himself to sleep. I stayed with him for a little while longer before finally standing up and exiting the room. Haley stood when I walked out, gently shutting the door behind me.

"Well?" he inquired.

"He's asleep." I said quietly, "and he said he'd like to come live with me."

"That's great! The only thing left for you to do is sign the papers so we can get 'em approved." Haley said as he led me back to the office. There was a vast array of papers waiting for me to grace them with my signature. After everything was signed and made official, Haley turned to me.

"Since he's asleep, would you like to come with me to get his things?" Haley asked me.

"Might as well, where are we going?" I asked.

"To the circus."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey y'all! This one's a little shorter than the rest but I hope you enjoy it.**

**I was a little discouraged to only receive one review for my last chapter, but it can't be helped. But seriously, I really enjoy y'alls comments, they fuel my writing. Please read and review. I love you guys!**

Ch. 4

It took about ten minutes to get to the circus from the police station. There was police tape around the place. The wire still lay on the ground where it had fallen. There was still blood where the Grayson's had landed.

"Tragic, isn't it?" Haley asked as we passed the crime scene.

"Indeed." I replied kneeling down to look at the severed wire.

"Haley, look at this." I said pointing to the fallen cable.

Haley kneeled down beside me and listened intently.

"This rope didn't break. And it wasn't cut." I said, "It's been severed with…acid, it appears. The acid burned through the wire…the Grayson's aren't victims of poor equipment, they were murdered."

Haley's eyes widened as what I said sunk in.

"How do you know?"

"One learns a lot when in the military. Look at the end. The wire wasn't cut. If it were, it would be a clean edge. If it had been broken, the end would be ragged. But acid ate away at it…see how the wire is more pointed here? That is the effect of the acid on the metal. Some one sabotaged the Grayson's act. This was no accident."

"We'll tell the commissioner when we get back." Haley said. "He'll want to be notified. Come on, the Grayson's room was this way."

We walked into a curtained off room. There were two beds; one queen and one twin. There were three chests up against the curtain.

Haley walked over to one chest and opened it up. He laid a photo of the Grayson's on top as well as a few other personal items of Dick's. Haley opened the other two chests and looked in before closing them with a sigh.

"There are some more of his clothes in the wardrobe. I'll go get his personal effects."

He said as he headed for the other side of the room.

I walked over and began removing clothes from hangers to put in the others. It was sad how little there actually was. I grabbed his shoes, socks and underwear and laid them in the chest. Haley came back with a tooth brush, hair brush, hair gel and other supplies. His phone rang as he put them in the chest and closed it.

"Hello? Yes, sir, this is Haley. Mhmmm…Really? Ok. Great. I'll tell him. Yeah, were just finishing up. We'll be there soon. Ok. Thank you, bye."

He hung up the phone and looked at me triumphantly.

"It's official. Dick is your son. We'll mail the documents to you when they come in."

I couldn't help but smile. Haley walked over and engulfed me in a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Wilson."

"I'm honored to do it." I wheezed.

Haley released me and walked over to the bed picking up a small blue stuffed elephant.

"He calls this Zitka. After one of the elephants here." He explained as he handed me the toy.

"Let's get back so Dick can begin his new life. Here, help me with this thing." He said, gesturing to the trunk. I picked up one end and he the other. We loaded it into the trunk of my car and headed to the police station. Dick was waiting in the lobby with the commissioner and Officer Montoyez.

Haley kneeled down and hugged him.

"See ya around, Dick. Be good for Mr. Wilson, ya hear?"

Dick nodded and hugged Haley, a tear fell down his face. Haley stood up and nudged Dick towards me. Dick stumbled and stood in front of me.

"Thanks again." Haley said with tears pooling in his eyes. I nodded and kneeled down to Dick's level.

"Ready to go?" I asked.

He nodded.

"We already have your things."

He nodded again.

I stood up and gave one last look around at the people standing around. I turned to go. Dick slipped his small hand into mine, and we walked out the door as father and son.

**Please REVIEW!**

**Have a great day!**

**~paisleyluv96**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright y'all, here is the first meeting with Grant, Joey and Dick. Not very detailed, but I thought it would flow pretty good with the rest of the story like this. Anywho…please read and tell me what ya'll think!**

The ride back to the hotel was silent, save for the sniffles coming from the back seat. When we finally pulled into the parking lot, I turned and spoke to Dick.

"We won't be here long. Come on up and meet Addie, Grant, and Joey. We're going to pack up our things and head home. Ok?"

He sniffled and nodded again. Dick got out of the car and we walked up the stars into the hotel.

"Daddy's back!" Joey yelled as I opened the door. He jumped onto my waist, knocking me back.

"Who's that?" Grant asked with a hint of disgust laced with in his voice as he eyed Dick.

Dick moved back and hid behind me. I pulled him back around in front of me and knelt down behind him.

"Grant, Joey, This is Dick." I said.

"Hi!" Joey squealed.

"What's he doing here?" Grant asked scornfully.

"We adopted him." I stated simply.

Grant raised an eyebrow and turned away quickly to finish packing. Joey followed suit. He, like the other two, didn't really know what it meant to be adopted. But, over time, the boys would understand and learn to accept Dick as a member of the family.

"They don't like me…" Dick said quietly.

"of course they do, Honey," Addie said as she walked up and hugged him.

"They've only just met you. I'm Adeline. You can call me Addie." She said pleasantly.

"Hi, Addie." Dick greeted in the same manner. She smiled and ruffled his hair. He quickly shook his head to put it back in place.

"I've got to finish packing." She said as she stood to leave.

"Me too." I said. "You can go sit on the bed. We'll be ready soon."

"Ok." He said softly as he went and sat down. We finished packing and I took the suit cases and loaded them and the kids into the car while Addie paid the clerk. When she came out, Joey was arguing with me about having to sit in the middle.

"Joey, you're the youngest and the smallest. It's only fair." I said.

"No! Dick should sit there!" He yelled.

"And why is that?" I asked trying to keep the irritation out of my voice.

"Because, Daddy! He's new! He's no supposed to be here!" He protested.

"Enough. Sit in the-"

"I don't mind sitting in the middle, Slade." Dick said quietly, cutting me off.

"I know. But Joey here needs to be humble. Now, sit in the middle." I directed the command to my youngest son.

"But daddeeeee!"

"Now. Joey, I won't tell you again." I said harshly. Joey's eyes got wide and he crossed his arms in defeat. My boys knew what that meant…Dick had yet to learn.

"Yes, sir…" he said as he scrambled into the car.

Dick followed behind him and buckled into the right seat. Joey juffed and crossed his arms. Grant laughed at Joey's misfortune and Dick stared out the window. I closed the door and looke across the top of the car at Adeline.

"That was ridiculous! What's it matter who sits where?"

She giggled.

"You'll get used to it." She answered as she opened here door and sat down.

"Yeah, right." I mumbled as I got in and started the engine.

The car ride was quiet for the first hour. Grant was asleep, Joey was still pouting and Dick hadn't moved. He was still staring out the window. At 12:45, Joey piped up from the back.

"I'm hungry, Daddy."

That, of course, immediately pulled Grant from his sleep.

"Me too!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Addie, do you have food? Anything at all for them to eat?" I asked exasperated. I was not about to stop the car and get food. We only had about two more hours of driving.

She pulled out some rice crispy treats and gave them to the boys. Grant and Joey completely devoured theirs in about ten seconds.

Dick didn't even bother to open his. But, unlike the other two, he did say thanks.

Once Grant and Joey finished theirs, the handed the wrappers back to Adeline. Joey looked over at Dick.

"Are you gonna eat that?"

Dick shook his head. "Not hungry."

"Can I have it?"

Dick silently handed the pastry to Joey who snatched it up.

"Hey, you gotta share!" Grant said.

"No! He gave it to me. Not you!"

"No fair, Joey! Gimme some!"

"No!" Joey screamed as eh shoved a big chunk into his mouth.

"Boys. Enough." I commanded.

"But Dad! Joey won't give me any!" Grant yelled.

"Because Dick gave it to me!" Joey countered.

"I said enough. I won't say it again. Now sort it out or give it to me." I said sternly.

"It's mine." Joey said with finality.

"No fair!" Grant wailed. I rolled my eyes and reached back, taking the blasted thing from my son.

"Way to go!" Joey yelled at grant as he punched him in the arm.

"Ow! Hey! Grant screamed as he hit Joey back. They both started yelling and screaming at one another.

I reached back and smacked both of them roughly.

"Ow!" they said simultaneously.

I glared at them dangerously in the rear view mirror. They both had the good conscious to look guilty. I sighed. They both shut up…finally. I glanced at Dick. He was still staring out the window. A tear rolling down his face.

The rest of the ride was silent. When we finally got home and unloaded everything, I sent Grant and Joey to their rooms and sat Dick down on the couch. He was still crying.

"hey, Dcik, what's the matter?"

"I-I got Grant and Joey in trouble…" He stammered. His smooth accent hitching through his tears.

"Dick, you didn't get them in trouble. The did it themselves." I replied.

"B-but I gave Joey the rice crispy treatat and I should have given Grant some too."

"Joey should have shared, but he was selfish. That's not your fault." I said.

Dick sniffled and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"They won't ever like me again."

"Of course they will, Dick." I said. "They have to get used to you, just like you have to get used to us. Don't worry, ok?"

"Ok…I'm sorry." He sniffled.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for." I answered.

He nodded.

"Ok. You sit tight. I'll be back soon."

"Ok…"

"You can go help Addie unpack if you want to."

He nodded again as he got off the couch. "Addie was leaning against the door frame smiling.

"Slade, go easy on the boys." She said as she took Dick's hand and headed to the kitchen. "Come on, Dick, We'll go see what in your trunk." She said as they waked away. I smiled as I watched them leave. Then I turned and headed upstairs to deal with my two hard headed sons.

**Alright, y'all read and review! Please and thank you!**

**~paisleyluv96**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright y'all. Sorry I didn't update sooner...my update's will probably get more spaced out now since school is over for me and I don't have anywhere to type up this stuff...anywho. This chapter is fun, I had fun making Slade seem kinda clueless later on, you'll get what I mean... :)**

**So yeah...sorry for making y'all wait.**

**It was brought to my attention a few chapters back about Dick's accent being Russian. Yes, I know he's Romanian, and yes, I will put it somewhere in this story saying that he is indeed Romanian. Bear with me. I'm having issues trying to get this whole thing to flow. I'll get there, It'll take some time, But it will happen. I hope...**

**If y'all have any ideas for the story, let me know! I love ideas and being able to incorporate new things that I never would have thought of. :)**

**I shall not keep you waiting any longer. Please Enjoy this story and Review!**

Adeline and I spent the next three weeks looking for a new house. There wasn't much on the market at that time of the year. WE found a place outside the city limits. It was out in the country…Granted, I grew up in the country before running off to join the army, and I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of going back. It was the only place that was big enough. It came with 37 acres of land, a barn and a five bedroom ranch house. We spent all month looking and that's all we could find. Everything else was three bedrooms. We need four.

"Oh! Slade! I've always wanted to live in the country! Addie said excitedly. "Away from the loud city life…"

"It's not much to get worked up over. Thirty seven acres, Addie? That's a lot of work…"

"We can hire someone to do the work." Addie pointed out. "Like you said, money isn't an issue."

"I am well aware of our monetary situation. I just don't think moving to the country is what we need."

"Aw. Slade, it'll be good for us to get out of the city. I will be good for the boys." She tried to convince me.

"Addie. We are not moving to the country. Trust me, it isn't good for anyone. We don't need a five bedroom house out in the middle of nowhere." I said.

"Then what, Slade?!" She yelled in distress. "Where else are we going to go? We can't stay here with three boys and a baby on the way. Or house isn't big enough for-"

"What?" I asked, cutting her off mid-sentence. Who said anything about a baby? "What baby?

"I'm pregnant, Slade." She said pointedly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world…

"Really?" I asked dumbfounded, "How…When did that happen?"

"A few weeks ago..." she trailed.

"Why didn't you tell me before we adopted Dick?!" I yelled.

"Slade! I just found out a few days ago!" She protested.

"Damn it, Adeline!"

"Calm down, Slade. This is a good thing!"

"How the hell is this a _good _thing?! On top of the expenses of Grant and Joey, and now Dick, plus moving and buying a house?! And now a baby?!"

"Slade. We have plenty of money." She said calmly, "with our combined incomes, we're fine."

I fell back into my chair and took a deep breath. Of course we were fine…everything was fine…how the hell did she end up pregnant? That was impossible! My mind couldn't fathom the idea of another kid. I was already worried about my other kids. I had to train Grant and Dick…Joey wouldn't train, and my duties to him as a father were already lacking. And when the boys started their training, the father figure in Joey's life would greatly diminish…Now with a baby? How could I juggle an assassin's career and a family?

"I know… I know we're fine…" I answered in a low voice.

"You worry too much, Slade." Addie said.

"Yeah…"

"So... This house. I think we should go see it." She said.

"Yeah…" I responded, too in shock to register anything she was saying. A baby? Another one?

"You clearly need time to think some things over…I'll go get dinner ready." She said.

"Yeah…"

She smiled and waked out of the rom, leaving me to stare at the five bedroom house on the screen. I was happy and uncertain at the same time. I loved my children. And I was thrilled that Addie was pregnant again. It was too much. I had no regrets about getting Addie pregnant again. What was I worried about? Money? No. We had plenty. My kids? Now. Nothing was going to hurt them… So what? I had an overwhelming anxiety rising in by heart. I couldn't explain it. Addie was right though. With four kids, a five bedroom home is what we needed. I looked at the screen. I really didn't want to go back to the country. I grew up on a farm, and it wasn't a good liNot for me anyway. My father made my life hard. He was a farmer, but when he wasn't working, he was, he was at the local bar shooting his brains out. He'd come home dead drunk and mad as a bat out of hell…

I shook my head to clear away the thoughts. I picked up the phone and called the realtor to set up a date to view the home. I had to leave my past behind me. I wouldn't end up like my father. I'd work the property… Maybe even set up a building to train in. Something better than the basement I used. I set up an appointment to go see the house the next day at 3:00. I printed off the information and leaned back in the chair. No, I wouldn't be like my father. That much I could promise myself and my family.

"SLADE!" Addie screamed from somewhere in the house. I almost fell out of the chair in my haste to get to her. I ran downstairs to the foyer and was shocked when I saw no immediate threat in front of me.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked as I stumbled into to the room. Addie wordlessly pointed to the ceiling in shock.

"Dick…He...he…I don't know how he got up there!" She said in fear.

"Wow." I said as I looked up. Dick was 30 feet in off the ground sitting in the window waving and smiling.

"Ok…Dick. Don't move. I'm going to get a ladder." I called. Dick, completely ignoring my, stood-STOOD- on the window sill.

"Dick! No! "Addie yelled.

"You don't need a ladder, Slade! I can get down by myself!" He called down to me.

"Richard. Don't. You. Move." I said sternly. The sill was only about 6 inches wide. One misstep and he'd fall…

"It's ok, Slade! I do this all the time!" He said.

"Richard! NO!" I yelled. He jumped anyway.

"DICK!" Addie and I screamed simultaneously. There was no way in hell the boy did that all the time. Who climbs up to a window 6 inches wide and jumps for fun?!

He landed on the upstairs railing in a handstand. He held the position for a moment. I was sure he would fall. He twisted his body around and lifted himself safely off the railing and onto the balcony. I let out the breath I was unconsciously holding. His face peered over and smiled at us before disappearing and running down the stairs to meet us in the foyer. After I overcame the initial concern for Dick's safety, my frustration set in. Grant and Joey cheered for him and clapped him on the back as though he had just scaled the Empire State Building. Addie kneeled down and checked him for injuries before hugging him tightly. She pulled back and grabbed him roughly.

"Don't you ever do that again! You scared me to death!" She scolded.

"Why?" He asked, honestly confused.

"You could have fallen and gotten hurt! You should never disobey Slade when he tells you not to do something like this!"

There was a sharp intake of breath from Grant and Joey.

They looked at each other and giggled.

"Dick's gonna get in trouble!" They chanted gleefully before running out.

"I'm sorry." Dick said quietly as he looked at the ground. He sent a worried glance at me. Addie hugged him again, causing the small boy to squeak at the rough hug. She stood and sent me a glare that screamed '_go easy' _I crossed my arms and watched her leave before turning my gaze onto Dick.

"Are you hurt?" I asked concerned.

"Nope!" He replied confidently.

"Dick, you may absolutely not disobey me, Or Adeline. That is rule number one in the house. I told you not to move." I said sternly.

"I'm sorry, Slade...I didn't know." He said meekly.

He didn't know? An order is an order. Surely, lining the dangerous circus life, he was required to follow order…

"What changed?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"What changed? You always obeyed Mr. and Mrs. Grayson and Haley…What makes me any different that my rules should not be followed?"

He was quiet a moment before responding in his smooth accent, "Nothing….I'm sorry." He had the good conscious to look guilty. "But-but I do this all the time… I knew I wasn't gonna fall…Mama always said to not jump if I was scared, and I never did. I wasn't scared…so…why were you?"

I was taken aback at his question, and truly amazed at his words. The kid spoke with a wisdom and understanding that most would not see in a young child. He was following orders, even if said orders came from the deceased.

"I wasn't afraid, Dick. But I was concerned. I don't know you skills or what you're capable of." I said. I gave a small sigh. "This is your first offence, Dick. Don't let it happen again." I said seriously.

"Ok…I'm sorry." He said again.

"How did you get up there anyway?" I asked trying to lighten the mood. Once the question left my lips, I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

"I jumped off the rail and climbed up the chain, and then jumped to the widow." He explained as he pointed form the railing, to the chandelier and to the widow. He said it like it was the simplest thing in the world to do, and the most obvious way to do it.

The kid climbed the damn chandelier!

"Of course you did…" I trailed.

"Yeah! Mama and Tati taught me!" His tone dropped, "They taught me everything I know…"

A tear began rolling down his face.

"Dick…" I said kneeling down to him, "You can't cry every time you think about them…Just think about all the good things, ok?" He nodded and rubbed his watery eyes.

"Ok…" he said softly.

"Come on," I said as I led him to the kitchen, "Let's go eat."

**Yepp. Slade's hilarious. "Really? How? When did that happen?" Cracks me up. I love Slade. He tries so hard. Lol. I also loved how he says "of course you did..." haha.**

**"How dare you make Adeline pregnant! How am I supposed to raise ANOTHER kid?"**

**"You're a big boy, Slade. Figure it out. It's not my fault you adopted Dick for you own selfish reasons."**

**"How is this my fault?! You're the writer! You make me do these things!"**

**"This is true..."**

**"ARGH!"**

**lol. I love Slade.**

**Anywho, R&R please! Let me know what you think! I 3 constructive criticism!**

**Y'all have a good day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey y'all. Sorry, I've been slacking off….it's summer. Not my fault. But, really, I've been working on another story, so I'm gonna put this one on the back burner. The other is further along..I'm just making this one up as I go….so…yeah. sorry. R&R**

We walked into the kitchen just as Addie was placing Dinner on the table for everyone. I cut the T.V. on to watch the news, they were talking about some giant panda at the zoo…not really classified as 'need to know' information in my book. I sat down in between Joey and Addie. I head Dick say his little prayer…I'd have to get him out of that….

"In other news, there is a shocking development in the Hale's circus tragedy that took the lives of Mary and John Grayson. Officials say the tragedy was no accident. Traces of acid have been lifted from the high wire. Commissioner Gordon of the GCPD days quote: "There is strong evidence that this case is a double homicide." Forensics are running prints found on the ladders. Officials also say that they do have a suspect under watch. We will keep you updated as this story unfolds. Down town Jump city has been involved in-" I cut off the TV and looked over at Dick. He was still looking at the now blank screen.

"What's a homicide?" he asked after a long moment. Addie and I looked at each other. How were we going to tell him that his parents were murdered? He was just 8!

"It means someone killed your mom and dad." Grand answered bluntly. I looked at Grant, about to scold him for his insensitive answer, but stopped short as I looked at Dick. The emotions that crossed his face were almost unbearable. First confusion, then shock, sadness, then the tears came. One at a time, slowly emerging from his crystal blue eyes and rolled down his small face. He sat perfectly still, not a muscle moved, as he took in the information. His breathing rapidly increased, his eyes widened. Slowly, he stood up from the table.

"Dick…" I began. He closed his eyes and shook his head before turning to run out of the room. I turned to Grant. I was at a loss for words, so I just glared angrily at him. His face remained emotionless.

"What? It's true!" He said.

"Enough. Don't speak about it again. You had no right." The font door opened and closed quietly.

"Slade, go after him." Addie said. I stood and followed Dick outside. I opened the door, expecting to see Dick on the steps, but he was no where in sight.

"Dick?" I called. Nothing. I walked out into the yard. "DICK! Come here!"

Still, no answer came. I sighed.

"RICHARD!" I called in a deep, intimidating voice. The voice reserved for crime lords and victims. Still, he did not answer. I walked to the back yard to look. I saw a small foot disappear behind the shed. I walked over a peered behind the it. He wasn't there. I looked under. "Richard?" He wasn't there either. "What the hell?" I said to myself. Where had the boy gone? Had he somehow gotten inside? That wasn't possible…there was no way to get in except through the door… I walked out from behind the shed and yet again saw the little runt running towards the house.

"Dick! Stop!" I called as I raced after him. He disappeared around the corner of the house and when I finally reached it, he had yet again disappeared. This corner of the house was a dead end….the only way he could have gotten out was if he scaled the house and jumped the ten foot fence, and I highly doubted he had done that. I glanced down at the window that led to the basement. It was small…I knelt down and tested the lock. It easily pushed open…that meant…Dick was in the basement. The basement that no one is allowed in. I trained in the basement…all of my equipment and weapons were down there…and so was Dick…

I bolted back to the front of the house and ran through the kitchen to cabinet where I kept the key.

"Slade? Did you find him?" Addie asked. I ignored her as I ran through the house to the basement door. I slammed the key in and threw the door open.

"DICK!" I called. I knew the kid was down there, but yet, he did not answer me. I walked to the back of the room. The rope that hung from the ceiling was moving. I glanced up to the beam where the rope was secured. I saw his shoulder protruding from the beam

"Dick. Come here. Right now." I demanded. He didn't move. I suppressed a growl in my throat.

"If you don't come down, I'm coming up, and that is the last thing you want." I warned. Finally, a response. He peered over the edge of the beam and looked at me through teary eyes.

"How…how did you know I was up here?" He asked.

I pointed at the rope. "It was still moving."

He still made no attempt to come down. "Now. Dick. I will not tell you again." He still didn't move.

"Get down here. NOW!" I barked. He jumped at the harsh command and began to descend the rope. He slid down and stopped just above my reach.

"You just told me again."

I grabbed the rope and began climbing. He scrambled back up, but I was faster. In one quick swipe, I sent a forceful smack to his squirming bottom.

"OW!" he yelled. The sharp slap made him pause in the middle of the rope. I took that moment to grab the back of his shirt and pull him into my arms.

"NO! Leave me alone!" He screamed. I was shocked at his outburst. He had not yelled at me, and I had never seen him act so badly. He hit a pressure point in my shoulder, effectively rendering it temporarily useless, and kicked me in the gut. He vaulted himself out of my arms and onto the floor. He rolled over his shoulder and made it to his feet smoothly. I slid down the rope using my good shoulder and stared at the kid wide eyed. The kid stood in front of me defiantly, anger on his face and tears rolling down his flushed cheeks.

I took a moment to reflect: First, he squeezed through the window and into the basement, not to mention, he hid on a beam 20 feet in the air, he climbed down and back up the rope quickly and quietly, he hit a pressure point in my shoulder with dead on accuracy, launched himself out of my arms and made a perfect landing…

"Are you aware you just hit a pressure point in my shoulder? As well as landed perfectly?" I asked.

"So?" He asked. "I do it all the time." He replied as he rubbed his backside where I had smacked him.

My jaw dropped.

"I suppose you learned this…"

"In the circus." He spat.

I nodded.

"Watch your tone, young man. No one is allowed to be down here unless I authorize it. Understood?" I demanded. He nodded.

"And next time I tell you to come to me, You do it right then. Don't ever run off ever again. Clear?"

He nodded again.

"Ok." I said. "Now get."

He looked shocked that I was letting him go without a reprimand. He deserved one, but seeing as how he had just learned that his parents were murdered, I let him go. Surprisingly, he walked back over to the window and climbed though easily. He could have just used the door…nonetheless, I walked over and locked it securely behind him. I did not want a repeat of today. I walked back up the stairs, locking the door behind me, and went back to the kitchen. The others had already eaten and left, so, I heated my food and took it to the office. I could hardly believe what Dick was capable of. I honestly didn't know anything about him…I didn't know his likes and dislikes, or what he was used to…hell, I didn't even know where the kid was from…His accent wasn't exactly Russian per se…but closely related. It was smoother and flowed better than the rough Russian accent. I set my plate to the side and opened the drawer where I kept his adoption papers. I rifled through them and found that his full name was Richard Johnathan Grayson-Now Richard Grayson Wilson-he was born on the first day of spring, and was a legal citizen of the USA. He had been raised in the circus, no surprise there, and had never had any legitimate schooling. His parents were Romanian. That meant Dick was likewise Romanian. After further investigation, I found that he was indeed born in the small country. He grew up there for a few years, and learned the native tongue before his parents and he joined the traveling circus, where he learned English. Romanian…that must be what I hear in his smooth voice. It sounds like honey sliding off his tongue when he speaks. It's different, but a nice different. He had been doing acrobatics his whole life. Why should I fear for his safety? He's perfectly comfortable in the air, and like he said, if he isn't afraid, why should I be? He was a circus kid, a Gypsy…an orphan. But, amongst all of these, he was a protégé, and a perfect candidate for my apprentice.

**Like I said, I've run out of ideas for this story…so, if y'all have any ideas, leave a review and I'll consider it…please and thank you!**


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